Q&A with Eliesa!

Since winning Blu Domain's 'Girl of the Year', I've been overwhelmed with e-mails from many of you photographers - THANK YOU!!! I have tried to get back to each and every one of you, but there were so many good questions asked that I felt like I should share with everyone! I finally have a moment to breathe this weekend, so in between my piles of laundry, I figure there is no better time than the present to do a little Q&A!


Q: When did you first know you wanted to be a photographer?



A: Sounds cheezy, but I always knew! As a kid, I LOVED disposable cameras and loved taking it to the lab and picking up prints! I've always loved photographs and when I discovered the darkroom, it was all over! I knew exactly what I was going to do!

...a couple early shots...




Q: What camera do you use?



A: I currently shoot with Canon 5d's (and can't WAIT for the new one to come out!). I have honestly NEVER been so in LOVE with a digital camera! I joke about long, romantic nights with the 5D, my MAC, a bottle of wine, some cheezy music and editing....yeah, all you photographers know what I'm talking about!


Q: Have you always used Canon Equipment?

A: No. When I first started shooting digitally, I was working for a newspaper and I shot Nikon for years. However, when I found the 5d, it was an instant LOVE and I decided to make the switch to invest in Canon. Personally, I couldn't be happier with Canon!


Q: What is that thing on your hip?



A: It's my BODA BAG!!!!! I HEART my Boda Bag!


Q: Have you always shot weddings?

A: No. I started out shooting journalistically, everything from pro sports to little league games to commercial product photography. I eventually started my company and began freelancing a lot of commercial/advertising/editorial work and kind of fell into weddings, not knowing if I would like them or not. I ended up loving them, because I am a sucker for love stories. I also like to use 'both sides of my brain' and keep everything fresh when it comes to my photography, so about 40% of my business is weddings and 60% is commercial/editorial.


Q: What does photography mean to you?

A: Well, it's everything I've ever known! The camera is truly an extension of my self. I love the challenge of a new editorial shoot and collaborating with art directors and models, going out on location and also in the studio, it's SO. MUCH. FUN!. However, in the commercial world, projects come and go and with each month, something bigger and better comes along. Hence, why I absolutely LOVE shooting weddings. There is something very special and sacred about being invited to shoot a couple's wedding. Those images capture the most important day of their lives and 50 years from now, people will be looking at the images and think," WOW! Look at Grandma and Grandpa!" They are family treasures that live on, which is why I love it! Whenever a couple uses my images from their engagements in a slideshow during their wedding, I ALWAYS tear up and am know to full out cry because that is why I do what I do and that is what IT is all about!


Q: What advice do you have for photographer just starting out?

A: Stay true to yourself, have fun, work harder than you ever imagined but ENJOY every second! There are a million people out there who will try to tell you how you should do things and what worked for them, but simply BEING YOU and shooting what YOU want to shoot and CREATING a business that you want to create will take you further than you realize!


Q: What is the most important element to running a photography business?

A: Momentum! It's totally necessary when running a business! Keep the ball rolling by challenging yourself creatively! Set goals and refer to those goals! Personally, I write down goals I have for each week, month, year and 5 years! It helps me SO much to look at those and I've suprised myself which how much I have accomplished in such a short amount of time! New doors of opportunity open EACH DAY, I encourage everyone to act on those opportunities, what do you have to lose?


Q: What websites do you follow for up-to-date-information?



A: To be honest, I am not much for sitting on forums or surfing the internet for that matter, thank GOD I have the Juddster and Eli who ARE the internet for me! ;0) (Thanks guys!) Some of our favorites here at Photogen Inc are: Pro Photo Hub, DPReview, Strobist, and Canon Rumors.


Q: What inspires you?





A: So much inspires me! Being in a new space, creating, and collaborating! Tackling a new project - whether that be a commercial project or wedding - gets me SO pumped up! My high school photo teacher, Mr. Ron Marschel was and STILL has been the most influential person in my career! He instilled me with concepts, attitude and outlook from the beginning that has stuck with me all this time! He's a crazy dude with 1 leg, a pacemaker and grey hair and the dude is SERIOUSLY BAD-ASS! Fine Art inspires me, one of my favorite artists is Patrick Pryor, who I have been lucky enough to collaborate with in the past! Fashion and music are absolutely inspiring to me, I can't get enough of it! GQ as of lately has been a HUGE inspiration to me on a recent commercial project! (It launches in October and it sooooo SWEEEEET!) And last but not least, my team of people! I am the luckiest girl to have my 'Dream Team' of Judd, Brandon, Cadence, and Eli with me every single step of this journey! Oh! AND....film, the darkroom, shoes and Canada!


Q: Do you think a studio is necessary?



A: For me, YES! A studio is not right for everyone, but a creative space that you can freely work at and invite clients into that space is essential. We just moved into a new studio a few months ago and will be launching a website to show that off (SOOON! I promise!)


Hopefully this helps some of you out there! Have a FABULOUS weekend!

eliesa